


Danke

by sparrowhaven, thedovahcat



Series: The Run-Arounds [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 14:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9275291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowhaven/pseuds/sparrowhaven, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedovahcat/pseuds/thedovahcat
Summary: Catrene Luvere wants to find a ghoul known as 'The Captain' for reasons she’s keeping to herself. Hancock says he knows a guy and the guy turns out to be the synth Nick. In order to keep her out of trouble he agrees to go with her, but Hancock says he’s coming too.Only good things can come from this, surely.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sparrowhaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowhaven/gifts).



> **This one was written by sparrowhaven, she's the one who started this sudden influx of short writings with my Sole so I have her to thank. These are very fun to come up with together! You should check her stuff out cuz she's awesome at writing.

Nick pinched the bridge of his nose with his “normal” hand. The girl stood in front of the synth with a grin, unphased by his annoyance. Hancock, the mostly rotted bastard, was kicking back in one of the two unbroken chairs in the office. The ghoul’s own smile matched the girl’s.

“So lemme get this straight.” Nick gestured at the girl. “You want to find this mythical ghoul that calls himself The Captain.” He moved his hand to indicate Hancock. “So you went to the mayor of Goodneighbor for help.”

“Got it right so far, Nicky.” The ghoul’s grin widened at the synth’s dark look. With the yellow gaze still on him he deliberately lifted a colonial-era boot and used its heel on the edge of the desk to lean back. The chair groaned in protest as it lifted two legs off the floor. “Oh I’m sorry, I mean DETECTIVE Nicky.” Hancock corrected himself cheerfully.

Instead of acknowledging him, Nick turned back to the girl. “And he brought you to me to find this ghoul.”

“Yep! That’s the story.” She rocked back and forth on her heels, still smiling.

“And WHY do you want me to find this Captain?” Exasperation started to creep into his voice.

“Because I have to find him! What more do you want?”

“Besides everything? I don’t even know your NAME much less why I should help you and jerky over here.” Hancock pressed a hand to where his heart would be.

“Nick Valentine! After all I’ve done for you, this is the thanks I get?” The ghoul tried to sound properly offended, but the effect was ruined by his own snickering. The girl joined in, much to Nick’s annoyance.

Nick’s mind was already whirring from trying to figure out why Hancock had bothered to show up in person, but he always had extra processing power to assess someone new. She stood at about five feet tall, give or take an inch. Her brown hair was shockingly long, and pulled into a messy ponytail. From the tucked in oversized clothing and general lack of wear and stain, Nick figured she must have found her current outfit recently while scavenging. It was always hard for him to tell ages for young humans, but from her general proportions and the sound of her voice he put her age at somewhere in her late teens. Just a kid, really.

Nick tried not to think too hard about how thin she looked. “Your name, miss?”

The girl drew herself to her full height, which was just at the synth’s chest. “Catrene Luvere, mister Valentine.” She held a hand out automatically. Instead of awkwardly shaking hers with his “skeleton” hand, Nick used his intact one. Hancock, for his part, only cackled a little bit.

“Nick, please.”

“Hancock didn’t say you were a friend of his,” Catrene continued. It was hard to tell if she was oblivious to the gesture or just mindful. Nick decided to go with the latter.

“Simply put, we’re not. I do favors for him every so often and he sends folks to me and keeps the synth hunters off my trail.”

“He’s belittling our friendship, kid. We’re really the best of buds.” Hancock snarked while digging around in one of his coat pockets. Nick jabbed a metallic finger in his direction.

“If you’re gonna smoke, do it outside.”

The blunt was already in the ghoul’s mouth. His dark eye sockets met with the synth’s eyes. “What, it’s not like either of us are gonna die from a little smoke.” Nick stared, and then wordlessly gestured at the girl, who was busy lifting up part of his old coat to examine it. Hancock was unphased. “And?”

“You can’t just smoke in front of a kid, John. It’s bad for her AND you’ll just make her wanna try it for herself.”

“Hey there’s an idea–” Hancock was then struck by a realization. “Wait, you only wanna talk to me because SHE might get hurt? Man and I thought we had something here.”

“We don’t, and I haven’t even agreed to this idiotic venture.”

“I’d say your newfound attachment to Cat here says everything we need to know.”

“I’m not ATTACHED, I’m CONCERNED.”

“Which you only GET when you end up CARING aka getting ATTACHED–” A loud whistle interrupted the two. They both turned their heads to Catrene, who had a very satisfied expression on her face.

“Ladies, ladies, you’re both very pretty but we have a mission to go on.” With a flourish, the girl retrieved and unfolded a large map. It was as new as anything made from before the war went, and was marked in pen with modern day towns, landmarks and danger zones. In crayon were other markings and symbols that Nick couldn’t make heads or tails of but apparently were important. “I dunno where Captain went, but I’ve got info from all sorts of people about where he MIGHT be. If you’re not coming with me, Nick, I’m just gonna follow the rumors myself.”

The room was mostly silent for a long moment. Nick spent longer than he really needed to in order to think. He’d already made his decision. He hoped he wouldn’t end up regretting it. “Alright, alright, I’ll go with you.” The synth shoved his hands into his coat pockets and looked at Hancock. “You can go back to Goodneighbor, she’s gonna be in good hands.”

The ghoul grinned, striking a match and lighting his blunt as if he and Nick hadn’t just had an argument about it. “Oh man Nicky, I can’t believe you didn’t figure this one out.” Hancock blew smoke in the other’s synthetic face. “I’m going with you.”

Nick wondered if it was too late to change his mind.


End file.
